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Davidson has GT1 drive at Spa

By LJ Hutchins

Anthony Davidson will be forsaking the commentator’s chair for the racetrack this weekend when he contests the fourth round of the FIA GT championship at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Davidson will be driving for Essex-based Gigawave Motorsport in the 24 Hours of Spa event alongside Michael Krumm and Darren Turner, his team-mate in the Aston Martin car at the recent Le Mans 24 hours event.

He was said to be in the frame for a regular drive in the team’s Nissan R35 GT-R but was pipped to the flag on that one by Turner and Krumm. But now he has his call-up.

Turner and Krumm were placed ninth in the recent Oschersleben round in June after racing in heavy showers which they likened to “driving on rivers”.

The team is working with Nissan’s sports arm NISMO on a project to develop the GT-R as a customer race car. It is one of three 2010-spec GT1 cars competing in the series this season.

Team principal Nigel Stepney said following Oschersleben: “The development is now showing progress as we begin to strengthen our relationship with our Nismo partners.

“[Driver] feedback is up there with the best and has made a real contribution to our developmental bank. But it’s their skill and courage in such difficult conditions that keeps on amazing me.”

Gigawave chairman Henry Barczynski said: “We’ve taken an untested car and developed and proved it before in endurance racing, and with good support and strong team co-operation the Nismo partnership could help us maintain our record.”

Johnny Herbert is slated to take over from Davidson in the BBC Radio 5Live commentator’s chair.